After a season with restrictions around every turn, area swimmers and divers will get a chance to vie for a spot in semi-state as the Region 2 Meet starts today and ends Thursday at the Owensboro Health Healthpark.
The girls’ swim meet starts today at 10:15 a.m. then the diving portion starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday with regions 1-3 competing. The boys’ swim meet starts at 10:15 a.m. Thursday.
All four local teams are ready to show what they have over the next three days as they battle for a spot at semi-state.
Apollo
Eagles coach Katlynn Lanham said her team is beyond ready to hit the pool this week.
“The kids have been working hard and know what it takes to meet their goals,” she said. “It’s been a crazy season, I’m just happy that we are getting to race in this atmosphere even though it will be a little different.”
Lanham said she’s hoping to have senior Luke Malott qualify in the 200-freestyle and 100-backstroke but she’s also expecting big things from the 200-medley relay and 400-freestyle relay with Malott, Keaton Leigh, Adam McCabe, Eli Dych and Emmitt Brock.
Daviess County
Panthers coach John Mark Griffin said he’s most excited for his relay teams this week.
“Our boys and girls relays have been great all year and we hope to see them move on to compete at semi-state,” he said.
The 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle relay will have Gabriel Neves, Ben Robinson, Sam Smith, Trevor Church, Carter Heady and Eli McClelland swimming for the Panthers.
On the girls’ side, Avery Krahwinkel, Nya Hammons, Kayedon Mattingly, Ella Johnson and Hayden Brumley will be competing.
Owensboro
Red Devil coach Brad Schmied has high hopes for this week as he thinks several of his swimmers have a chance at making noise not only at the region meet but state as well.
“The girls are strong again this year and have several with a good shot at qualifying for state,” he said.
Addison Callis, Abby Warren and Paige Neal have chances at individual events while Kara Bane Luckett joins the three for the Lady Devils relay teams.
“On the boys side we are very young,” he said. “Our best shot at an individual qualifier this year is 7th grader Miller bowman in the 100-meter butterfly.”
Miller, along with Jude Pickrell, Ethan Lippert and Drew Johnson, make up OHS relay team with all four still in junior high.
Owensboro Catholic
Aces coach Erica Crabtree said she has a good feeling going into this week with seniors Cort Hobelmann and Jack Raymer hitting the pool as both have a lot of experience.
“They are veteran swimmers so tomorrow’s format of timed finals will not be new to them which will give them an advantage over swimmers who just swim for their high school teams,” she said. “It will be a fast meet with quick turnover and not much time for rest in between events.”
The reduced schedule didn’t help the Aces relay teams this season and Crabtree said she’s not sure how they’ll do but she knows her team will give it their best shot as Catholic is the host this year.
“We have had so few meets this year that I don’t feel comfortable saying how well our relay teams will do because we really haven’t competed with a full squad at any of our three meets,” she said. “I feel as a whole that we will see some personal bests out of a lot of our swimmers.”
